Laboratory testing may not glitter like gold

Diverticula of the gall bladder are of no clinical significance unless associated with stones. Isolated location on Hartmann's pouch, body or neck have been explained on disordered embryogenesis but diffuse location all over the gall bladder is difficult to explain. We report a patient in whom multiple gall bladder diverticula were associated with a stone in the common bile duct.     

Tachykinins may mediate capsaicin-induced, but not vagally induced motility in porcine antrum

Tachykinins are thought to be involved in extrinsic control of motility in the gastrointestinal tract. Using the isolated perfused porcine antrum with intact vagal innervation, we studied the effects of substance P, neurokinin A and capsaicin infusion, and electrical stimulation of the vagus nerves on antral motility without or with infusion of non-peptide antagonists for NK-1 receptors (CP96345) and NK-2 receptors (SR48968). Substance P and neurokinin A stimulated antral motility in a dose-dependent manner. The effect could be inhibited by atropine or a combination of the NK-1 and NK-2 receptor antagonists. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerves and infusion of capsaicin (10(-5) M) stimulated antral motility. Vagally induced motility was not influenced by infusion of CP96345 and SR48968, whereas the effect of capsaicin was blocked. We conclude that tachykinins may be involved in regulation of antral motility through sensory nerves in the porcine antrum, but they do not seem to be involved in vagal regulation of antral motility.     

Perceptual defense—down but not out.

Explored taboo-word recognition thresholds in an impromptu investigation of perceptual defense with 14 Ss. 7 Ss served in the experimental group, and 7 Ss were controls. The experimental Ss could not recall the acronym PISS but the control Ss remembered their acronym PASS without difficulty. All 7 experimental Ss substituted the letter "S" for "P." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exposure effects may not depend on stimulus recognition.

Compared the applicability of M. H. Birnbaum and B. A. Mellers' (see PA, Vol 64:00000) 1-factor (subjective recognition) model with the present author's (see record 1979-23525-001) 2-factor model to data on the role of stimulus recognition in the mere exposure phenomenon. Results of a series of linear structural equation analyses show that the 2-factor model provided a significantly greater degree of fit. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Basal forebrain lesions and memory: Alterations in neurotensin, not acetylcholine, may cause amnesia.

Behavioral impairments produced by lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) are usually attributed to the loss of cholinergic cells. A comparison between the effects of 2 different neurotoxins, ibotenic (IBO) and quisqualic (QUIS) acid, reveals that this interpretation is inconsistent with the data. Rats were given injections of either IBO or QUIS into the NBM and tested on an alternation task in a T-maze. At the start of behavioral testing, both IBO and QUIS rats had impaired choice accuracy. At the end of behavioral testing, however, IBO rats, but not QUIS rats, were more impaired than controls, and IBO rats were more impaired than QUIS rats. IBO decreased choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and [–3H]neurotensin binding in the neocortex. QUIS decreased ChAT activity but did not change [–3H]neurotensin binding. The cholinergic system may not be the critical component responsible for behavioral impairments following NBM lesions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Induced hypotension may influence blood loss in orthognathic surgery, but it is not crucial

Numerous investigators have attempted to isolate the Rh antigens in a stable, immunologically reactive form since the discovery of the Rh system over 56 years ago. We report here a successful and reproducible approach to solubilizing and adsorbing the human Rh antigen(s) to a solid-phase matrix in an antigenically active form. Similar results were obtained with rabbit A/D/F red blood cell antigens. The antigen preparation was made by dissolution of the red blood cell membrane lipid followed by fragmentation of the residual cytoskeleton in an EDTA solution at low ionic strength. The antigenic activity of the soluble preparations was labile in standard buffers but was stable in zwitterionic buffers for extended periods of time. Further studies showed that the antigenic activity of these preparations was enhanced, as was their affinity for plastic surfaces, in the presence of acidic zwitterionic buffers. Adherence to plastic surfaces at low pH maintained antigenic reactivity and specificity for antibody was retained. The data show that this approach yields a stable form of antigenically active human Rh D antigen that could be used in a red blood cell-free assay for quantitative analysis of Rh D antibody and for Rh D antibody immunoadsorption and purification.     

Complete unloading alone may not adequately protect the left ventricle

BACKGROUND: The benefit of left ventricular (LV) unloading for preserving LV function is commonly accepted, but its efficacy remains incompletely defined. METHODS: We studied the influence of complete LV unloading on LV systolic and diastolic mechanics using an in situ isovolumic preparation with two different coronary perfusion pressures (CPPs) in 12 dogs during prolonged normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis of covariance with time as a covariate revealed that a high CPP (143 +/- 36 mm Hg; n = 6) was associated with better preservation of systolic LV function over time as assessed by LV end-systolic elastance (p < 0.001) and the end-systolic pressure-volume relation physiologic intercept (p < 0.001) compared with a moderate CPP (107 +/- 18 mm Hg; p < 0.005 versus a high CPP by t-test; n = 6). Dobutamine (2 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) improved LV end-systolic elastance (p < 0.005) and LV physiologic intercept (p < 0.01) only in the high-CPP group. Conversely, impaired LV diastolic function (as measured by LV stiffness) was observed (p < 0.001) with a high CPP, but did not change with a moderate CPP. CONCLUSIONS: These observations in canine hearts suggest that complete LV unloading may not preserve LV systolic function adequately over time when CPP is maintained in the accepted clinical range. A higher CPP is required to prevent deterioration over prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass times, but diastolic dysfunction still occurs.     

Physicians, ethics, advance directives, and long-term care

We investigated the influence of NG-nitro-L-arginine (NNA), the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthese, on seizures induced by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), the K+ channel antagonist, in mice NNA (5, 10 and 40 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced the respectives CD50 of 4-AP from 9.0 to 7.6, 7.5 and 6.8 for clonic seizures, and from 9.2 to 7.7, 7.5 and 6.9 for tonic seizures and death. Lower doses of NNA (1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg) had no effect on 4-AP-induced convulsions and lethality. Our results indicate that 4-AP-induced seizures may be, at least in part, dependent on nitric oxide level.     

Umbilical cord fluoride serum levels may not reflect fetal fluoride status

An exercise for the estimation of the percentage risk of cases of tuberculosis attributable to co-infection HIV/AIDS, using the following formula, is propounded: RA%=p[m2r(hR-h)] + (1-p)[m3r (hR-h)]/p[m1+m2r (hR+1-h)] + (1-p)[m3r (hR+1-h)] x 100 where: p= proportion of BK infected, r= risk of tuberculosis infection, h= proportion of persons infected with HIV, m1= breakdown rate of endogenous tuberculosis, m2= breakdown rate of exogenous tuberculosis, m3= breakdown rate of primary tuberculosis, R= relative risk of morbidity among persons infected with HIV.     

Emergenesis: Genetic traits that may not run in families.

Traits that are influenced by a configuration, rather than by a simple sum, of polymorphic genes may not be seen to be genetic unless one studies monozygotic twins (who share all their genes and thus all gene configurations) because such "emergenic" traits will tend not to run in families. Personal idiosyncrasies that have been found to be surprisingly concordant among monozygotic twins separated in infancy and reared apart may be emergenic traits. More speculatively, important human traits like leadership, genius in its many manifestations, being an effective therapist or parent, as well as certain psychopathological syndromes may also be emergenic. These ideas reemphasize the importance of the role played in human affairs by genetic variation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

More may not be better in psychosocial interventions for cancer patients.

Comments on the article by M. H. Antoni et al (see record 2000-14051-003) which tested the effects of a 10-week group cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention among female breast cancer patients. The authors express concern that this profession is offering interventions that patients in need cannot access and studying patients who may not be in particular need of intervention and who therefore fail to demonstrate substantial improvement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)